Second Chance and a Half
by Akira Ichijouji
Summary: Attempting to partially explain the unscrupulous events in Ep 50. Love, destiny, and Jogress partnership are just as hereditary as looks. Shounen-ai, Daiken, Dai's son X Ken's son.


Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, Ken or Daisuke or their children. I did make up their names, however. Except for "Musuke" – I'm pretty sure that's Daisuke's son's name, since that's what it says on his shirt in Ep 50. If it's not, I don't care.

A/N: This takes place about seven or eight years after the infamous Ep 50, so Ken and Dai's kids are teenagers. (I think this is the first ever Ken's son X Dai's son fics, so yippee!) I have mixed feelings about this fic. I can't decide whether I like it or not. I like the idea, but I think a lot of it is cliché and just not explained very well. Enjoy, or not, whatever. (I just realized that all of my Digimon fics have Daiken. Every bloody one. ~_~ Not that I'm _complaining_, or anything. ^_~)

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Second Chance and a Half

By Akira Ichijouji

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"Hey, Ken."

Ken didn't move, instead intently watching the children as they sat, laughing and talking, in a circle in the Digiworld. He thought often about his children – Midori, eighteen years old, who was Miyako's child in every right, only inheriting Ken's hair color and love of soccer; Satoshi, at sixteen, who was much more like Ken: quiet, incredibly intellegent, and constantly kind; and Keitaro, who, even at the age of eight, and though he inherited Ken's looks and digimon, was already turning ought quite like Miyako with his bubbly personality and obsession with computers.

The children were sitting far enough away from the adults so that they could not hear the quiet talking and could only hear the edge of the uproarious laughing. Musuke, seventeen years old and Daisuke's son right down to the goggles perched winningly on his auburn hair, had evidently said something naughty because Midori blushed and giggled, Satoshi looked amused, and Keitaro looked perplexed.

"Earth to Ken?" Daisuke sat on the rock beside his best friend, also gazing out upon the children. He smiled as Musuke and Midori flirted with each other. "Do you think Musuke and Midori…"

"I hope so." Ken looked up for the first time, letting his heartbreakingly purple eyes lock with Daisuke's. "Maybe they'll have the chance…" he trailed off.

"The chance we never had," Daisuke said softly, letting his hand brush over Ken's as it lay, pale and slender, on the rock.

"It wouldn't be the same."

"I know."

"We shouldn't live through our children."

There was silence once more as they watched the children and their digimon, Buimon and Wormmon joining in the laughter. Then Musuke stood up. "Hey, Dad, we're going for a walk, 'kay?" The other children nodded.

"Make sure you have your digivices with you," Ken said sternly. "Wild digimon can be very dangerous."

"Yeah, yeah, we know, Daddy," Midori said, lifting Keitaro onto her back.

When the children had disappeared into the trees, Daisuke hooked one arm around Ken's waist. "You know, you're beginning to sound like our parents. 'Make sure you have your digivices,' really."

"I'm trying to keep them safe."

"I know. Imagine if our parents had stepped in while we were in the Digiworld."

"This is different."

"It's not. Not at all."

Buimon and Wormmon trundled over, then spoke quietly to each other at the foot of the rock. Ken was silent.

"You know I love you, right?" Daisuke pulled his best friend closer.

"Yeah." Ken sighed, leaning into the redhead's embrace. "I love you so much more than should be allowed."

Daisuke nodded.

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The children had struck out along a path to the File Island Lake, ducking under branches and stepping over logs. Keitaro, who was always running, had tripped over a rock and went crashing to the ground, scraping up his knees and hands and getting scratches all over his arms and legs from a spiky fern he came in contact with on the way down. Both Midori and Poromon sighed as Keitaro began to wail, and the blue-haired girl set her emergency supplies bag down on a rock. She lifted her little brother to his feet and knelt beside him, pulling out a box of cloths and bandages.

"You two go on ahead. I'll get him cleaned up." Keitaro still had huge tears running down his face, but his sobs had quieted somewhat as Leafmon bounced around his feet, making worried noises.

Musuke nodded, and he, Satoshi, Chibimon and Minomon went on, only stopping once to admire a large-petaled flower growing by the side of the path. Despite himself, Musuke found it irresistible not to take Satoshi's hand in his, and the purple-haired boy sighed in contentment, leaning in closer to the redhead.

Then they came to the beach, and as Chibimon and Minomon played together a few feet away, Musuke put his arm protectively around the smaller boy. The purple-haired boy bit his lip, tucking his head under Musuke's, resting his hand lightly over the other boy's heart.

"I can feel your heart beat if I do this," Satoshi said softly, just before Musuke's lips claimed his, silently remembering the first time his so-far-undiscovered Jogress partner had kissed him. "It's like it's beating just in time with mine, constantly and eternally."

"You're a poet, and you didn't know it," the redhead teased, then became serious once more. "That was beautiful."

"I love you," said Satoshi as Musuke rested his lips gently against his forehead.

"You're not so bad yourself," Musuke said jokingly, letting his hand bury itself in Satoshi's longish, purple hair. The smaller boy let out a breathy giggle. "You know I love you. And I always will, no matter what happens. Just let them try and stop us."

Satoshi shivered, suddenly afraid of the world and all its frightening reality. "I hope it doesn't come to that."

"So do I."

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Long after night had fallen, Ken and Daisuke managed to shepherd their children through the Digiport, Keitaro worn out and falling asleep on Midori's shoulder. As they parted ways, Daisuke couldn't help noticing the way Satoshi's eyes fixed longingly on those of his son. As he looked closer, he also noticed the way Musuke waved to all the children, but was only really looking at the middle Ichijouji child, smile filled with simple love.

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Oh, Kami-sama. Daisuke sighed, running a hand through his short hair until it stood on end._ Some things never change._ How could he be so blind as to think Musuke and Midori stood a chance? Midori was Miyako's child. And Satoshi was Ken's.

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"Don't go," Ken said longingly, arms outstretched and needy, eyes sad.

"I have to go. My mom said I have to be back home at 9:00." Daisuke's eyes were wide and sad.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Daisuke went over and sat down on the bed, pulling Ken into his arms. "No matter what happens. I'd like to see them try and stop us."

Ken nodded, but was afraid.

From his armchair in the dark living room, Daisuke felt the full force of his memories come crashing down on him. Memories of the happiest summer of his life.

They had been in their last year of upper school, ready and excited to go to university; after an enormous amount of wheedling both sets of parents had allowed he and Ken to take a trip overseas for a month.

If the staff wondered why only one of their hotel room beds was ever slept in, they didn't show it. 

When they got back they spent every waking moment together, sharing hopes and dreams and thoughts and kisses, staring into each others' eyes until neither thought he could get enough.

Then it had all shattered.

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"Daisuke, I'm going to marry Miyako."

Daisuke passed a hand over his eyes, trying to banish the sadness that threatened to blur his eyesight.

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"C-C-Congratulations, Ken." Then he turned and left, closing the door quietly behind him. For one frightening, callous moment, Daisuke had been relieved.

But Daisuke had been betrayed, heart torn out and dropped on the floor for the whole world to step on. For years they barely talked, but when the children came, they had no excuse to avoid each other any longer.

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We were cowards. We were just afraid at what the world would think, what the world would do.

The redhead stood, walking silently across the house to stand in front of Musuke's bedroom door, just to hear the sound of his sleeping breath.

Musuke giggled. "Shh! Stop that, you're making me laugh!" he whispered fiercely, trying to supress giggles. "Damn, I'm sorry, Satoshi, I've got to go…I heard my dad walking around in the living room, he might come back here any moment to see if I'm asleep. And I'm really not supposed to be on the phone this late!" There was a pause. "Awww, don't be so put out…I'll call you tomorrow and we'll do something, 'k?" There was another pause. "I love you too, koi." Daisuke heard the phone slip quietly back into its cradle, and the tell-tale rustling of sheets as Musuke snuggled down in his bed. "Night, Chibimon."

"Night night!" said the drowsy little voice Daisuke knew all too well.

The redheaded man quietly stole away, and lay down on his bed, suddenly missing Ken with all his heart.

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We shouldn't live through our children.

Daisuke placed a hand over his eyes.

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They'll be smarter than we were. They'll be braver. Daisuke paused his thoughts for a moment to take a shuddering breath. _I'll make sure they are._

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OWARI

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End file.
